Weft thread dividing device for looms



A ril 21, 1970 J. PICANOL WEFT THREAD DIVIDING DEVICE FOR LOOMS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1968 INVENTOR. J. Pccm o! ATTOYLNESS April21, 1970 I J. PICANOL 3,507,307

WEFT THREAD DIVIDING DEVICE FOR LOOMS 7 Filed March '7, 1968 I5Sheets-Sheet 2 in 3- x INVENTOR.

PL'CcLnoZ April 21, 1970 J.'P|ANQL 3,507,307

WEF'T THREAD DIVIDING DEVICE FOR LOOMS Filed March 7. 1968 w 3Sheets-Sheet 5 m I T2 m E a 9 INVENTQR. J, Pica/7o! BY ATTO YLNEBSUnited States Patent Int. Cl. D03d43/10, 49/50 US. Cl. 139-1703 2 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Weft thread dividing device for loomscomprising thread-like supports disposed transversely to the shuttletrack and means for angularly shifting the said threadlike supports,said means being disposed beyond the comb.

This invention relates to the problem of the drawing-in of the weftthreads in the drop box looms and it concerns a novel dividing devicefor the said weft threads.

Different dividing mechanisms have already been proposed using generallyrelatively rigid supports conditioned under the form of comb withelongated teeth, each tooth being assigned to a shuttle and said teethbeing individually and properly actuated with a rising and loweringmovement to keep the weft threads outside the path of the shuttle. Inaddition, these teeth are overhanging.

It is well known that these relatively rigid supports solve onlypartially the said problem since they are preventing the interminglingonly in the portion of the weft threads in which there is no relativemovement with the slay. In the other portion of the weft threads, theintermingling is still possible. The portion in which the interminglingmay persist differs according to the construction. In fact, in certainconstructions, the mechanism carrying the rigid supports is fastened tothe slay and, in others, it is fastened to the frame. In the firstconstruction type, the intermingling may still be possible between therigid supports fastened to the slay and the edge of the fabric, whereasin the second construction type, the intermingling is still possiblebetween the rigid supports fastened to the frame and the slay. In bothcases, the result is hardly satisfactory.

A first object of this invention relates to a novel device relyingessentially upon the application, in looms and for all weft threads, atright angles with the drop box, of one or several thread-like supportsin relation with a device causing the angular shiftings thereof, saiddevice being disposed beyond the comb in any position thereof.

Another object of this invention is to apply such threadlike flexible orrigid supports connected resiliently at one end and actuated at theother end by a device inducing the angular shifting thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a weft thread dividingdevice comprising the combination of relatively flexible thread-likeelements and a mechanism actuated directly or indirectly by the saiddrop box to free the space on which the shuttle travels between the saiddrop box and the adjoining portion of the fabric or the warp threads.

Another object of this invention relates to the combination of suchdeformable thread-like supports, resilient elements interposed betweenat least one of the ends of the said thread-like flexible supports and afixed point of the loom so that the said deformable thread-like supportsare permanently actuated to their initial position. Another object ofthe invention relates to the fact that the long supports are bearing onboth sides of comb.

Finally, another object of this invention relates to the combination ofthe said device having relatively deform- 3,507,307 Patented Apr. 21,1970 tively flexible and deformable thread-like supports.

By the said characteristic means, the weft thread dividing deviceaccording to the invention may be constructed under very different formsand it may be thereby conveniently fitted to the type of loom beingequipped.

The previously mentioned characteristic measures as well as otherparticularities promoting the efliciency of the dividingldevice will bemore clearly apparent from the following detailed description of anembodiment represented only by way of example in the enclosed drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a weft thread dividing device accordingto the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows diagrammatically the characteristic elements of anotherembodiment of the Weft thread dividing device according to theinvention;

FIGURE 3 shows a side view of the essential elements of a practicalembodiment of the weft thread dividing device for. looms according tothe invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view according to the arrow F4 of FIGURE 3 with a partialsection;

FIGURE 5 is a front view on an enlarged scale of the portion indicatedin F5 on FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are sections respectively on the lines VIVI, VIIVII,and VIIIVIII of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 shows a particular embodiment of an eyelet.

In the very diagrammatic embodiment of FIGURE 1, there hasbeen shown, intwo characteristic positions, a

single support of the Web thread dividing device according to theinvention.

This support consists of a flexible, rigid or semi-rigid thread-likeelement a disposed transversely with respect to the shuttle track b and,in low position, it may engage a recess or a cut-out c of the saidtrack. This thread-like element a is connected, on one hand, via aresilient element d, to a fixed point point e of the loom. At its otherend, which is situated beyond the comb (not shown), the said thread-likeelement a is linked at the end of a device capable of shifting itangularly within predetermined limits. This mechanism is shown verydiagrammatically by a rod 1 positively directed by guides g, the otherend of the said rod being linked at the end of a lever h actuated by camj and permanently returned by a resilient element k fastened, on theother hand, in a fixed point of loom m.

A blower o is disposed above the said thread-like support a and it isoriented downwardly in the direction or approximately in the directionof track b.

Generally, one such thread-like support a will be used for one weftthread. This thread-like support may be rigid or flexible and, in thisrespect, it may be a metallic wire, a plastic wire or a wire of acomposite material.

The essential characteristic of this device lies in the fact that theoperating mechanism, shown diagrammatically by rod is permanentlydisposed beyond the comb.

Another embodiment is shown in FIGURE 2, in which the drop 'box of theloom is shown in 1, its return device being shown in 2. The device foractuating the said box is not represented, being of a known type, thedrop box comprises namely four compartments 3-45-6 respectively. Theshuttle track is shown diagrammatically in 7 and ithas a cut-out 9between the said drop box 1 and the laps of the warp threads 8. In frontof this cut-out, are stretched relatively flexible supports forming oneof the essential characteristics of the invention. These supports are innumber equal to the number of shuttles less one and they are flexiblewires having a suitable section 101112 respectively.

These wires may be also made of a synthetic resin or a metallic materialor of any other suitable composite or not composite material.

In a preferred embodiment, these thread-like elements are tied up in twofixed points of the loom' shown diagrammatically in 13-1-4 respectivelythrough resilient elements 15-16-17 and 18-19-20 respectively.

These thread-like elements -11-12 are normally disposed and stretched toengage the said cut-out 9 of the shuttle track 10. In an intermediatepoint of their length, these thread-like elements are made integral withrods 21-22-23 respectively which are in turn linked at the end of levers24-25-26 respectively the other end of which is mounted on a common axis27. Each of the said levers 24-25-26 contacts permanently a cam 28-29-30 respectively, the profile of which is such that, by the rotation oftheir common axis 31, the said levers 24-25-26 may be convenientlybrought to a standstill in high position or in low position. The saidaxis 31 is also common to a guide pulley 32 of the return device 2 ofthe drop box, the said return device being shown diagrammatically by acable 33 fastened at one end to the said drop box guided by a pulley 34and the said guide pulley 32 is connected at the other end to a fixedpoint 35 of the loom by a resilient element 36. Each vertical movementof the said drop box 1 corresponds to an angular shifting of axis 31 orthe said cams 28-29-30. The said deformable threadlike supports 10-11-12are shifted or brought to a standstill in high or low position inaccordance with this angular shifting.

A blower 37 may be disposed between the drop box and the said deformablethread-like supports 10-11-12 and it is oriented for actuating the weftthreads in a suitable direction to space them from each other.

The weft threads indicated by reference numerals 42-45 extend from theshuttles 38-41 to the cloth 8.

In this way, the other characteristic positions of the drop box 1 may beconsidered so that each of the stages 3-4-5-6 comes properly with itsunderside at the level or in the projection of the said track 7.

FIGURES 3 to 8 show the essential elements of an operating mechanism forthe weft thread dividing device according to the invention. In thisembodiment, the control of the deformable thread-like supports isprovided by the positive control of the drop box of which the fourcharacteristic positions corresponding to the standstill of thedifferent compartments 3-4-5-6 of the drop box in the projection of theshuttle track 7 are represented in 1'-1"-1'-1"" (FIGURE 3). The saidpositive control of the box is represented by the lever 46 fastened, onone hand, to the said box (not shown) and, on the other hand on thedriving axis 47 operated by the programming device known per se andcontrolling the sequential positions of the said drop box.

Upon the said lever 46, between the drop box and the said driving axis 47, is linked one of the ends of a crank arm 48 the other end of whichfunctions as a support for the axis 49 of the sprocket-wheel 50. Thelatter functions as a guide for a chain 51 which is guided by a secondsprocket wheel 52 also upon the said axis 31 common to cams 28-29-30.One of the ends of the said chain 51 is fastened at 53 upon a smallstationary casing 54 of the loom, whereas the other end is fastened at5-5 to one of the ends of a spring 56 the other end of which is fastenedby a bolt 57 and a connecting part 58 to the control lever 46 of thedrop box near the driving axis 47 of said lever. Each of the cams28-29-30 is kept into permanent contact with a roller 59-60-61respectively, bearing upon one of the three above mentioned levers24-25-26 respectively.

Upon the free end of each of these three levers, is fastened one of theends of a cable 62-63-64 guided by pairs of pulleys 65-66-67 and68-69-70 respectively to be projected by upright sections 71-72-73respectively facing the cut-out 9 provided in shuttle track 7, thesecables being, on the other hand, connected to a stationary portion 74 ofthe loom frame through resilient elements 75-76-77 respectively.

Each of the said upright sections 71-72-73 of the said cables has aneyelet 78-79-80 respectively traversed by one of the deformablethread-like supports 10-11-12 respectively. As shown in FIGURE 9, thesaid eyelets 78-79-80 may be formed by folding in hair-pin two slightlyoverlapping cable sections 81-82 to outline such eyelet 83. Of course,this eyelet may be made in another manner, either by forming a specialknot, by interposing a small ring, by clamping an insert and the like.Near their rear end, the said levers 24-25-26 are linked upon the commonaxis 27. The cams 28-29-30 have a profile with a progessively increasingpassage so that, for a given angular rotation, the said levers 24-25-26are actuated in accordance with the cam profiles 28-29-30 respectively.

The operation of this mechanism is similar to that described in the morediagrammatic embodiment of FIG- URE 2. In fact, under the influence oflever 46 and chain 51, the cams 28-29-30 are angularly shifted inaccordance with each of the successive positions of the drop box. Thus,any position of the latter corresponds to a characteristic position ofthe said earns, the corresponding levers 24-25-26 and, consequently alsothe deformable thread-like supports 10-11-12, as previously describedwith more details. Of course, the invention is not limited to thisembodiment since the angular shiftings of the deformable threadlikesupports may be induced by essentially varying mechanisms which arethemselves controlled directly or indirectly by the drop box.

The invention relates to this weft thread dividing device per se as anovel industrial product and it covers any loom or loom portion usingsuch dividing device.

What I claim is:

1. A weft thread dividing device for a cloth-making loom having a dropbox and a shuttle track, said shuttle track having a cut-out formedtherein, said device comprising thread-like supports extendingtransversely to the shuttle track between the drop box and the cloth,rods having ends connected with said supports, levers connected withother ends of said rods, means actuating said levers for moving saidsupports from a lower position in which they extend through said cut-outto an upper position in which they extend above said cut-out and viceversa, and a blower located above the shuttle track between the drop boxand the supports and directed obliquely toward the shuttle track.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said supports consist ofwires and resilient elements connected to opposite ends of each wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 147,238 2/ 1874 Clegg 139-93179,567 7/1876 Kane 139-95 861,668 7/1907 Myers 139-1707 2,084,1406/1937 Hetherington 139-1701 2,268,307 12/1941 Schofield et al 139-17062,333,846 11/1943 Dawkins 139-1707 2,919,723 1/1960 Brandon 139-17032,991,811 7/1961 McDearis 139-170.;

FOREIGN PATENTS 832,491 7/ 1938 France.

1,317,301 1/1963 France.

JAMES KEE CHI, Primary Examiner

